ANALYTICAL LAB SERVICES UST

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Analytical Laboratory Services for Petroleum Samples, specifically targeting regulated underground storage tank (UST) sites in Richland County. The procurement seeks a laboratory capable of analyzing samples from soil borings, monitoring wells, drinking water wells, surface water features, and ambient air at sites with petroleum releases. Required analytical services include testing for purgeable aromatics (BTEX, naphthalene, MTBE), PAHs, RCRA metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and other contaminants using EPA-specified methods across multiple sample matrices. Prospective contractors must be DHEC-certified laboratories with the capability to provide sample containers, conduct shipping, analyze samples within seven days of receipt, maintain quality control procedures per SW-846 standards, and deliver analytical reports within ten calendar days. The solicitation requires online submission of offers by April 4, 2023, at 2:30 PM ET, with questions due by March 22, 2023, at 2:30 PM ET, and award notification scheduled for April 10, 2023. The contract term will be one year with two potential one-year renewals, spanning from May 2, 2023, to May 1, 2026.

The procurement does not specify specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The incumbent vendor is Pace Analytical Services, LLC, which was previously awarded a contract with an evaluated price of $525,715.00 and has now been awarded a new contract valued at $519,145.00. Vendors must register with the State of South Carolina and hold a valid state vendor number, with contractor liability insurance requirements including minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence for commercial general liability. The award will be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with unit pricing required for each analyte and analysis method. Pricing will remain fixed for the initial contract term and be subject to approval for renewal terms. The successful contractor will be based in Huntersville, North Carolina, and must be capable of independently reporting specific analytes, including trimethylbenzene isomers, butylbenzene isomers, isopropylbenzene, and n-propylbenzene, with responsibility for sample pickup and transportation to their laboratory.